Updated guidance on relationships and sex education (RSE) from the Department for Education has received a mixed response from Christians.
Among the changes which have been welcomed is the requirement that schools pay greater heed to the views of fogeys and students when teaching sex education. Schools may also be required to make all sex education material, irrespective of its source, available to oldsters.
In the past, some schools have used copyright concerns as a reason for not making sex education material available to oldsters.
The latest guidance countermands this by stating that any contracts stopping parents from viewing any material are “void and unenforceable” on the grounds that “they contradict the clear public policy interest of ensuring that oldsters are aware of what their children are being taught in sex and relationships education”.
In addition, faith schools are free to show sex and relationship education in a way that aligns with their beliefs.
However, not all changes have been welcomed.
The Christian Institute said that there have been “some concerning updates” on the teaching of LGBT content. Notably, schools previously had “discretion” as as to whether to show younger children about LGBT, now the guidance states, “We strongly encourage primary schools to show about healthy loving relationships, and to incorporate same-sex parents together with other family arrangements when discussing families.”
On similar lines, previous guidance warned schools not to show concepts equivalent to gender identity. This warning has now been removed and schools are actually told that “they ought to be careful to not endorse any particular view or teach it as fact”.
Simon Calvert, Deputy Director of The Christian Institute, said, “The latest guidance accommodates vital latest rights for folks to see sex education material, finally taking out secret sex education lessons. But muddying the waters around teaching on gender identity is the final thing we’d like straight away.”
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